The Jussi Awards 2019 Predictions: Void Is the Bookies’ Favorite

The Jussi Awards 2019 will be held on March 22nd and will be honoring the best of the film industry in Finland during the past year. Five films will be competing for Best Film, but only one will leave triumphant from the ceremony. The Jussi Awards 2019 predictions are placing Void (Tyhjiö) with the best odds.

The list of nominees is very diverse in terms of themes and genres, with stories that address different issues of contemporary society. Most of these films have been screened in some of the most important festivals around the world. And they are all nominated for multiple categories in this year’s Jussi Awards.

An experimental film on mundane struggles

Aleksi Salmenperä new film is an interesting look at how a relationship can survive when the struggle for artistry and success come together.

The visual storytelling in Void, shifting from black & white to color at moments, is a thoughtfully conceived exercise that parallels the heaviness of real-life relationships and the idealized representation of ourselves in the virtual world.

https://youtu.be/R4UgYyfa_CQ

The film didn’t have the help of the Finnish Film Foundation. But this independent production proved that creativity can only flow better under such circumstances. This has allowed Salmenperä to be more experimental, possibly influencing a new generation that detaches itself from mainstream production.

The film was screened at the Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy. Void (1.65) is expected to win the Best Film award at the Jussi Awards 2019.  

The biopic of the year on the Jussi Awards 2019 predictions

The new film by Teppo Airaksinen is a biopic about Juice Leskinen. Considered the “Bob Dylan of Finland”, he was also a poet with an inclination for comedy. And it is this side of him that drives the film into a melancholic, but yet funny journey across his life.

Juice is played by Riku Nieminen. He’s portrayed as a dark character and self-destructive at times, but the film only tries to unveil his complexities.

Set in a short period of the musician’s life, The Ragged Life of Juice Leskinen (Juice-Elokuva) presents a faithful representation of the events, while still providing a true cinematic experience.

Beautifully shot on film, Teppo Airaksinen is able to immerse the viewer in the reality of the 70s. As the most nominated film this year, The Ragged Life of Juice Leskinen’s odds of winning the category are 2.50 at Unibet Sportsbook.

A dramedy about a middle-aged man who lies to survive in modern society

Based on the popular novel by Kari Hotakainen, The Human Part (Ihmisen Osa)  is one of the most entertaining films on the list of nominees.

Juha Lehtola’s film tells the story of a middle-aged man who tricks his family by convincing them that he is still a CEO in a big IT company. In fact, he is completely bankrupt. But as success is the most important thing for him, he is willing to keep the mask for his parents.

During the film, we will see him evolve with the situation he will have to face and his consequent humanization. What at first seems to be a comedy, it soon starts getting into dramatic questions of life.

The Human Part was shown as part of the official selection of the acclaimed Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF). And according to online sportsbook sites in Finland, it is among the top-3 and its odds of winning are 3.50.

A tale of the old and the young reviving each other

Happier Times, Grump (Iloisia aikoja, Mielensäpahoittaja) follows the 2014 film about the same character, The Grump, created by Finnish author Tuomas Kyrö.

Director Tiina Lymi takes on the generational clash that exists in modern families with a light-hearted approach. And while dealing with one of the most serious topics of humankind: death.

Happier Times, Grump is a film about a stubborn old man who is ready to finally disappear from this world, as he feels that there is nothing left for him, as well as nothing else he can do for the others. However, when his granddaughter arrives, he finds himself to be in need again and his plans are delayed.

The film was screened in the Göteborg Film Festival and its odds of winning are 5.50 at Unibet Sportsbook.  

A coming-of-age in an increasingly xenophobic society

Probably the most socially up-to-date film on the list, Stupid Young Heart (Hölmö nuori sydän) is about a teenager looking for some direction in times of vulnerability.

The story revolves around a young couple who will become parents in nine months. In the confrontation of this news, Lenni, the father, tries to find a male role model to guide him.  However, he ends up befriending a right-wing activist. The oscillation between hate and companionship in this relationship will finally teach Lenni that he needs to find his own way alone.

Selma Vilhunen’s film is the most accomplished film in the festivals’ circuit. It has just won the Crystal Bear for best film at the Berlinale and it was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and at the Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy. Surprisingly, though, it is the film (12.00) with lower chances to win the Jussi Award.